Coming Out Of Hibernation With Late Winter Tasks

It’s now March and both nature and the madman are coming out of hibernation. The days are longer. The sun is higher. And the world seems brighter. We have entered meteorological spring and real spring is close behind. But before winter leaves us, the madman has a few late winter tasks to finish. Bet you do, too.

Winter is the time to inspect, clean and maintain your garden tools. For Christmas, I gave the madman a tool maintenance kit from Lee Valley Tools. He’s been using it all winter and now the only task left to finish is sharpening his Felco 8’s and other cutting tools. He’ll need them sharp to finish the pruning.

Pruning

February is really the month to prune. But this February was not kind to us. Two big snowstorms this year slowed us down. After all, you can’t prune the base of the blueberries of you can’t see them. Howling winds and frigid temperatures added to the delay. Now the snow is gone, and we can get out to finish the job the madman started before the snows hit. Believe it or not, we’ll revisit our blog on blueberries before we start.

As we noted in our blueberry blog, good pruning produces good fruit. In fact, the madman was surprised with the blueberry harvest we had last year. Also on the final pruning check are the raspberries, blackberries and pears. The grapes were done on time because they were well above snow cover. Pruning my flowering shrubs is a mid-spring chore, done right after flowers have faded.

Soil Test

The madman wants to get his soil tested. Like the pruning, he wanted to do it earlier but the ground was frozen and covered with snow. Some say he should have done it in the fall, right after the fall cleanup. But the madman feels that winter weather can affect the soil’s composition so he waits until spring.

I know we talk about soil testing a lot – that’s because this simple task is so important to the health of the crops. In Connecticut we have two choices. The Soil Laboratory at UConn offers a testing program for a modest fee. This link will bring you to the testing page on their website. The results include an analysis of your soil’s micronutrients, something overlooked by many gardeners. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) will also test your soil. These tests are free but lack the micronutrient detail of UConn’s test. This is the link to CAES soil testing.

Soil Sample

No matter which test you choose, the collection process is the same. Don’t rush it: wait until your soil is dry. If you make a ball of soil in your hand and it stays together, wait a bit longer to gather. You don’t want to walk on any surface that is wet – it will only compress the soil. Besides, wet soil is heavy soil to send! Luckily, the madman can stand on his paths since we have raised beds, and the raised beds dry faster than the rest of the garden.

Gather soil from 4-5 sections of your garden bed and mix in a large container. If you have several beds, send in a separate sample from each. For the best results, note growing conditions of your garden (sun, partial shade, etc.) and explain the intended crops. For each sample, send about one cup of soil to the required address as noted on the websites. Don’t just scrape the surface when you gather samples. Dig down six inches because that’s where your plants’ roots will be.

Pick Up

While you’re outside finishing these tasks, look around. Pick up any twigs and branches that fell over the winter. And, note any damage to shrubs and perennial beds. Fix what you can, but note what you will have to return to do. While you’re working, pull up any weeds that have sprouted – they are easier to handle now.

But, don’t just look down – look around and up. Make note of any broken branches and check the health of your trees. Most of us think our trees will go on forever. But, sometimes, like us, they need some extra help. Keep your eyes open for signs of harmful insects that can easily be removed before they can cause any harm. If you find something, like egg masses that you can’t identify, contact your local county extension service for assistance. Don’t just destroy everything you find – after all, we want to keep the good bugs.

Carry Phone

The madman has gotten into the habit of sticking his phone into his back pocket whenever he goes out. He says it comes in handy. A photo is worth a thousand words. With his phone, he can easily document the bulbs and ephemerals that suddenly appear in a variety of spots. In a pinch, he can even hit the ⓘ on his iPhone for help with identification (this technology can sometimes be wrong, but is a good place to start). Any picture he shoots comes with a date stamp, so useful for journaling. Almost more important, a quick photo will note any issues that we have to fix as the season advances.

We have 10 more weeks to go before May 15, our last frost date. If you have grow lights and a warm spot (think heat mat), you can start a few seeds like cauliflower, peppers, shallots, onions and leeks. Without warmth and grow lights, hold off a bit.

Get Ready

Now is a good time to get your work area ready. Clean and disinfect all surfaces and plant containers. Make sure you have good starting medium, labels and a nice supply of the seeds you need. Remember to hold off planting outside until the soil temperature is at 50˚ for a bit of time. Finish your winter tasks then relax. You’ll be plenty busy in the weeks ahead.

The madman and I are heading out to finish the blueberry pruning. Then we’ll relax with a nice cup of hot cocoa.